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Topiara - Chapter 5
The first year of service in the Guides passed by quickly for Lyara after she became more accustomed to the manner of study she was expected to do. Iliria was just as successful in helping her new friend in learning the intri cacies of the Talandri written language as Lyara had been in teaching navigation, and the exchange of knowledge cemented their friendship firmly. It wasn't long before the newcomer had caught up to the level of her aristocratic friend, despite the difference of time they both had spent in the service; and Iliria found that it wasn't so hard to accept help from Lyara in her studies, in fact she was finally able to progress at a more normal speed.
As for Lyara, she was quick to learn the fine points of topography and tracking. It was as if she were being reminded of something she had merely forgotten; and her speed at learning the skills did not fail to bring her to the attention of her Master, who then maintained a carefully undetected watch on her progress. By the middle of the year, and with the permission of the Master himself, Lyara had earned back her entire freedom-price by tutoring both the first-years as well as the slower cheretis; and by the end of the year she had taken over the lodestone class from Factor Borigan and was teaching it herself in the same manner she had learned it herself and then taught it to Iliria.
The test to determine her possible promotion past, she was given a six-day's rest from work and studies and then another to begin again her tutoring and teaching as well as settle into her more generous quarters as a chatori. Iliria had benefited from her residence with Lyara, and together they moved into the roomy and well-lit room on the third floor. One teaching period passed, with diplomacy and advanced mapping and pathfinding seminars, and then Lyndon summoned Lyara to his office and presented her with her very first contract as a Guide.
The Miningmaster on the Talandri-Kauwlut border was in need of a Guide to escort his eldest daughter to the hall of her betrothed husband, the son of the King's Horse master, in the capital. Lyara's excitement grew as she packed for her journey, for the first time she would be traveling close to her homeland. As was the practice for a new chatori, a seasoned and fully trained Guide would accompany her. This monitor would remain technically under her orders but would make sure that no major mistakes were made in dealing with the uninitiated public.
As was the tradition, the identities of monitors were kept secret until the the moment of departure; and so Lyara nearly lost her grip on the reins of her pony when Karlo led his pony from the stable and over next to hers. "Karlo!" she gasped, startled to see the handsome youth garbed once again in the brown leathers of the Guides. "I thought you had done with the service!"
Karlo's eyes danced beneath unruly blonde hair that had not yet been returned to the short style of the Guides. "So did I, Lyara; and believe me, I tried to make it in the outer world with my skills."
"What happened?" she asked soberly. "Why did you come back?"
"Don't ask me," was the curt reply, and Karlo wheeled his pony to face the open gate. "Leave it to say that I am monitoring you again, just like I did during your first days," he shouted back over his shoulder.
Lyara kneed Surefoot sharply and trotted up to Karlo's side. "If you are as good as a monitor now as you were a year ago, I'm in good company."
Karlo gave Lyara an enigmatic look and then took the lead as the two Guides wound their way through the city streets to the Horsemaster's hall, where they would be joined by the Master's steward. Lyara allowed Surefoot to plod along a few paces behind Karlo and refrained from trying again to draw Karlo into conversation. Her friend had changed dramatically in the six months he had been out of the service, and Lyara sensed the change was not entirely for the better.
After he had finished his initial monitoring and showing her the way of the Guides, Karlo had proved a merry companion during her hours not occupied with studying with Iliria and when he was between assignments in the outer world.
Karlo had taken a great deal of pleasure intro ducing Lyara to the sport of pony racing and the gambling which inevitably accompanied it. The young woman quickly developed a passion for the sport equal to that of her companion; and together they attended many events, both winning and losing many pieces of specie.
But Lyara was the most appreciative of her former companion's long-ago aid when she had been learning the most basic elements of self-defense. Lyndon had seen to it that the monitor he had given Lyara was brilliantly able to tutor her in the basics and then be a sparring partner for the more advanced techniques. Karlo had the advantage of more height and weight, but Lyara grew proficient at using those advantages against him.
The small exchange had demonstrated clearly that the Karlo Lyara had known was no longer; Karlo was a stiff-backed and silent Guide monitor whose moods were no longer as easily readable. Lyara felt a chill run down her spine as she wondered what could have happened to him that would bring about such a dramatic change, but she kept her ques tions and wonderings locked within her.
The marketplace was as noisy and busy as she remembered it, and Lyara still found it an uncomfortable place to be. For a year now, she had been confined within the walls of the Guides Master's estates, with only the trips to the pony races to break her monotony. Never had she been even close to the Keep itself, and so she stared unabashedly at the royal shrines and temples that bordered the street leading to the Horse Master's estate.
Dilan was a tall, hulking figure of a man, with an autocratic air that was the result of constant dealings with the rarified inhabitants of the Royal Keep. His temper was legendary, as was his generosity to those in whom he was pleased. The youngest of all the Craft Masters, Dilan still had the ability to make his older peers feel inferi or; and it was this superior attitude he turned on the two young Guides in his courtyard, withering Lyara in a single glance while not affecting Karlo in the least. Dilan made a show of looking the pair up and down, and obviously finding fault with whatever it was he was looking for. "I asked Lyndon for seasoned Guides, and what does he send me? A youth with not enough fuzz to shave and a fledgling girl."
"Excuse me, Master Dilan. Master Lyndon sends his respects and asked me to give you his apologies that all of the older Guides are either out on contract at the moment or recovering from injuries," Karlo stated in a cool voice that matched his expressionless face.
Dilan snorted. "Hmph. Any fool could see through those tactics; I've used them myself at times. Go back to your master and tell him that only seasoned Guides will do."
Karlo still did not flinch. "Your pardon, Master Dilan. My master told me that if you could not find Lyara and myself acceptable, that I was to return your contract fee and get your seal on the contract release clause."
Dilan blinked and looked more closely at the youth who was addressing him so glibly. "You seem to young to be sent out on your own, boy."
"I have served my training years, as has Lyara here; and I have Guided many without the auspices of the Guides Service in the last few months. Master Lyndon seems to trust my judgment enough to trust this contract with me and my partner." Karlo pulled the parchment from an inner pocket of his vest. "Do you not find us acceptable?"
Dilan's face darkened momentarily at the subtle disre spect in the youth's tone, but then turned his steely gaze on Lyara. "What about you, child. Are you seasoned as well?"
"My master told me . . ."
"No, Lyara," Karlo interrupted. "You have no compulsion to answer his questions." He now held a small pouch with the parchment contract and extended them to the now-glaring Horse Master. "We lose valuable time discussing our qualifications, Master Dilan. If we are to be out of Tandri by evenfall, we will have to leave now and spare no time searching out only quality provisions for the journey. If you won't accept our services, then I need to return your specie and get your seal on the contract."
"You have a sharp tongue on you, boy, and I don't like your tone of voice." Dilan growled in a low voice.
"My manner is not what you are hiring, sir. It is my skill at getting your man to the border and then the bride and her maid back in time for the wedding that should be the issue here." Karlo took a step closer and made as if to thrust the pouch and parchment in the man's direction. "Now, sir; what is your decision?"
Dilan turned to consult wordlessly with his steward, who was having a hard time keeping a straight face during the discussion. Master Dilan was unaccustomed to having anyone stand up to his anger for long, and watching him fail to intimidate the young Guide did the servant's heart good. In answer to Dilan's questioning glare, then, was a re signed shrug that left the decision solely up to the Master himself. "Oh, very well," Dilan snarled finally and sig naled for his steward to mount up. "But if anything untoward happens during the journey, I'll have Lyndon demand your heads as payment."
Karlo shot Lyara a sideways look, and she was startled to see the cold glitter in their blue depths. "Agreed, Master Dilan," he said coolly, and immediately thrust both the pouch and parchment back into his vest pocket and mounted his pony. The steward hastily followed suit and moments later was riding from the courtyard.
As soon as they were out of hearing distance, Lyara sidled Surefoot to the side of Karlo's pony. "Do you think it wise to antagonize the man we were hired to serve?" she asked anxiously. "What if words gets back to Lyndon?"
"Have no fear, young Guide," the steward answered before Karlo could respond. "He'll not be telling your Master anything. He doesn't like it known that anyone could out-argue him, for fear of losing his reputation as hard-bargainer of Tandri." The steward trotted up so that the three of them were side-by-side. "By the way, since my Master didn't see fit to introduce us, my name is Farranby."
Lyara smiled, relieved to have someone with an incli nation to friendly conversation along the journey for a change. Farranby was middle-aged, with greying brown hair and hazel eyes that seemed to see everything. "My name is Lyara. That is Karlo." Karlo bowed his head slightly at the introduction, but seemed unwilling to take part in any light conversation. He rode silently at the side of the other two as they wound their way through the streets toward the large marketplace and the city gate just beyond.
If Farranby was surprised when Lyara took charge of the purchasing of the travel provisions, he did not show it. She quickly found a vendor of dried meats and bought six of the mid-weight packages; moved to the vegetable vendor not far away and bought three of the large, starchy paparan and a mid-weight sack of tubers. With a nod from Karlo, she bought five large bladders of bitter ale and five large bladders of clear water.
The purchases completed, the trio moved to the edge of the marketplace to divide the provisions, each using the numerous straps and thongs on their saddles to secure the various sacks and bladders. Lyara finished more quickly than did her companions, and she spent a few moments with a nearby herbal vendor to acquire various healing and flavoring herbs; although Karlo gave a slight frown when he saw the stand at which she haggled, he did not offer a reason for his displeasure.
The trio moved slowly through the press of people and animals crowding the gate to enter the city. Once in the open again, Lyara looked over at Karlo, unsure if he was going to take the lead or not. Karlo looked at her in return, the ghost of his former merriment playing at the corner of his lips, and made a wide gesture toward the open road in front of them. Lyara kneed Surefoot into a trot, with Farranby and Karlo close behind her.
"YOU" are leading the journey, young Guide?" Farranby asked finally, giving a covert backwards glance at Karlo behind them. "I'm glad my master didn't know that those were the arrangements."
"It is the only way to train a Guide," Lyara responded easily. "How can a Guide get to know the Craft without being put in the position of trying out the knowledge he has learned?"
"Don't get me wrong, Lyara," Farranby smiled at her. "I have no complaints on my part. If your Master thinks that you are ready to undertake the job, then who am I to judge? Personally, I think I far prefer you as leader to that strange young man with the daring ways."
Lyara blushed at the compliment, but her loyalty to her friend forced her to speak in his defense. "Don't judge him too harshly, Farranby. He is not too happy to have to come back to the Guides; and I think something happened to him while he was out of the service that has soured him somehow. But he is very competent and talented."
"Perhaps," Farranby agreed, but the conviction Lyara sought to instill was lacking. "He handled Dilan well enough. But I'm still glad that you are in control of the journey. I get the feeling that I can trust your judgments far more than I can his."
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