The Market Thief

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

Wizard Rance has finally figured out the rain spell and how to control it, the dust has gone down and the crops are growing nicely. Alfred is working with Rance to teach him all he knows about weather magic while we wait for the council to give us our next task. Since Hulda doesn’t want the Arkellians to know that she is a mule she is keeping me company in the tent by telling me funny stories about court.

“Get your things together we are going. Alfred interrupts Hulda’s story and starts putting his things into his bag.

I jump up. “You mean we get to leave this boring place?”

“Yes” is all that Alfred says.

“You don’t sound very excited about it, wait a minute, where are they sending us now?” Hulda asks.
Alfred stops and looks at Hulda. “You know how much fun I’ve been having teaching Rance weather magic. There is so much more I could show him if I had more time, but no, I’ve got to go and do another task for the council.”

“Stop your pouting.” Hulda order Alfred. “If you didn’t already have an apprentice I would tell you to come back and spend more time with him but since you have one you aren’t going to have the time.”

“Hulda, not now.” Alfred glares. “You know that girls don’t learn magic. Rance agrees with me on this. Theo must have a magical item that is causing these accidents to happen. When we get him I’m going to find it. Rance said he would love to see this magical item so I’ll come and visit him.”

“It sounds like you and Rance have gotten very friendly this last week,” muses Hulda. “What happened to Rance the idiot?”

“He’s not an idiot, he needs a little more experience and he requested my help.” Alfred’s chest puffs up with pride.

“No, he’s not an idiot, he’s a brown noser. He doesn’t need you to teach him, the Council thought he was ready to take an assignment.” Hulda mocks Alfred.

“Actually this is a course through the wizard school to see how well a student performs. He isn’t a full wizard yet and there is so much I could teach him.” Alfred insists.

Hulda butts Alfred’s leg. “You know the Council will only let you have one apprentice at a time.”

“I’ll just explain that Theo is a girl and that should be that. Now let’s get going.” Alfred shoulders his pack and walks out of the tent.
Hulda follows him out. “Alfred, we talked about this, you’re not getting an apprentice from the Wizard School, you have Theo and that’s that!”

“Enough jabbering woman, let’s get going.” Alfred grabs my hand and Hulda’s mane.

I feel the tingle going up my arm and know that we are going to teleport again. I hope the new place isn’t as hot as this place. I never want to see a hot sandy place again.

I feel a cool breeze blowing on my hot skin. I take my hat off and look around; the breeze is coming off a deep blue lake. The breeze is carrying the sweet smell of apple blossoms, my stomach growls. We are on the beach of the lake at the edge of an apple orchard. I run to the water and splash my face with ice cold water.

“Hulda come here and let me wash all that sand off of you.” I call to Hulda.

She hobbles over and stands in the water. “Oh this feels so good.”

I splash water on her and start to brush her.

“We don’t have time for this, I have to get going.” Grumbles Alfred.

“We do have time for this. I’m not moving till all the sand is out of my coat. Theo if you stop bushing I’ll bite you.” Hulda refuses to budge.

"Fine, but be snappy about it.” Snaps Alfred.

I finish bushing Hulda to her satisfaction and begin to scrub my own hair. Since I’ve been at Alfred’s I haven’t been as dirty as when I was garbage digging but that sand comes close, at least I don’t stink.

After three washings I think all the sand it out.

“Ok Alfred, I’m read to go. By the way, were are we going?” I ask as I pull my hair back and tie it with a strip of cloth.

“See those caves over there?” Alfred points across the lake.

“Yes.”

“We are going to the biggest one to negotiate with a dragon.” Alfred explains.